Man attacked at church service in Nakuru dies in hospital

Tabitha Khalumba holds a photo of her husband, Francis Imili, who died at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital following injuries sustained after he was attacked during church service on February, 11 2018. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYURO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Francis Imili died Wednesday at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital following injuries he sustained during the attack.

  • Mr Imili had served as an usher at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church for more than 20 years.
  • After he was hit, Mr Imili fell and hit his forehead on a bench that was in front of him before he collapsed.

Grief has engulfed Kimangu Village in Rongai, Nakuru County following the bizarre killing of a 75-year-old man who was attacked by a stranger during a church service.

Mr Francis Imili died Wednesday at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital following injuries he sustained during the attack.

On Sunday, Mr Imili left his home and headed to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church for mass where he has been serving an usher for more than 20 years.

He joined the rest of the congregation at church as had been the norm and as the mass was underway, a man carrying a rod made his way in and hit him on the head causing him serious injuries.

COMMOTION

According to Ms Peninah Wanjiru, a neighbour, they were in the middle of the prayers when they heard commotion inside the church.

Ms Wanjiru said after he was hit, Mr Imili fell and hit his forehead on a bench that was in front of him before he collapsed.

“I heard commotion from behind and on looking I saw a middle-aged man who was holding a rod,” she said.

Some of the congregants rushed the injured man to a hospital in Rongai where he received first aid although he was in a critical condition.

“He was bleeding profusely [and] we had to use our head scarfs to tie his head to control the bleeding. After being treated in Rongai, he was transferred to Nakuru because his condition was deteriorating,” said Ms Wanjiru.

LEFT EARLY

According to the man’s wife wife Tabitha Haluba, the father of 10 left her at home while she was attending to their grandchildren who had visited them.

“He had told me that he would leave early, and since I had our grandchildren at home I allowed him to go first,” said Ms Haluba.

Ms Haluba said he was the family’s bread winner who also paid school fees for their children.

Members of the church who gathered at the man’s homestead called on the government to provide security in churches especially during Sunday service.

Rongai OCPD Japheth Kioko said the suspected attacker, who has since been arrested, will be arraigned in court once police conclude investigations.

He noted that investigations will include testing the mental condition of the suspect.